Is National Friendly health insurance good value?
National Friendly’s My PMI policy is a flexible and competitively priced private medical insurance plan, particularly attractive if you want straightforward cover, strong cancer benefits and the option to keep costs down with guided care or lower levels of cover. It may not suit you if you need unlimited outpatient treatment or very comprehensive mental health cover, but for many people in the UK who want affordable, no‑nonsense private healthcare with a choice of four clear levels of cover, National Friendly can be a solid option to consider alongside the bigger brands.
Who is National Friendly Insurance?
National Friendly was originally established in 1868 at Albury Rectory in Surrey to provide private medical support to its members. Over the past two centuries, National Friendly relocated its headquarters to Bristol, where it has continued to grow and establish itself as a leading private medical insurance provider, as well as launching other products such as over 50s life insurance, income protection insurance, and other care products for the elderly.
What are the main drawbacks to be aware of?
The main downsides are that outpatient cover is always limited, MRI and CT scans come out of that limit, and there is no inpatient mental health treatment. If you know you will need lots of outpatient or long-term mental health care, another insurer might be a better fit.
How much does National Friendly health insurance cost?
Example quotes for Level 1 cover start at under £35 per month for a 20-year-old, with prices increasing with age and higher levels of cover. Your own premiums will depend on your age, postcode, level of cover, excess and hospital list, so it is always worth comparing quotes from several providers or using a broker.
Can you get National Friendly cover with pre-existing conditions?
You can take out a National Friendly My PMI policy if you have pre-existing conditions, but those conditions will not normally be covered. You can still claim for new, unrelated acute conditions that arise after your policy has started and are within the terms of your cover.
Who owns National Friendly insurance?
National Friendly is a trading name of National Deposit Friendly Society Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 110008). National Friendly is also a mutual society, meaning that it operates solely for the benefit of its policyholders and not for any shareholders or external owners.
Key Points: National Friendly health insurance UK review 2026.
- Type of insurer: National Friendly is a UK mutual society, owned by its members rather than external shareholders, with roots going back to 1868.
- Product focus: Flexible private medical insurance built around hospital lists, outpatient limits and excess choices, plus optional extras such as therapies, dental or optical cash on some versions.
- Best for: People who want private diagnostics and surgery at recognised hospitals without paying for extras they are unlikely to use, including many self employed workers and older customers.
- Where it is weaker: Heavy outpatient users and people who insist on full central London access with HCA hospitals may find the limits and lists restrictive.
- Underwriting: Moratorium and continued personal medical exclusions (CPME) routes are typically available, which matters if you are switching from another insurer.
- Claims emphasis: As with any health insurer, your real experience depends on how well claims and pre approvals are handled, not just the sales chat.
- Who should shop around: Anyone with complex pre-existing conditions, specific drug requirements or a strong preference for particular London hospitals should compare National Friendly with other providers before committing.
Their health insurance policies have flexibility in mind, giving their members the option of 4 simple levels of cover.
You can claim for a wide range of acute medical issues, and National Friendly pays out for diagnostic tests, additional therapies (e.g., physiotherapy), and much more. National Friendly health insurance also offers extra perks like their 24/7 online GP services and £300 worth of men’s and women’s health benefits.
92% of National Friendly customers have rated them as 5.0 out of 5.0 stars on Trustpilot, based on their excellent customer service and top-quality health cover.
Top benefits of National Friendly health insurance:
- Claims won’t affect premium prices for the first 5 years of your policy.
- Pays out for 96% of claims on average*.
- Wide range of options for policy excess for claims (can even have £0 excess).
- 24/7 access to the Friendly GP virtual GP service, which includes video or phone consultations and private prescriptions.
- Choice of 4 cover ‘levels’ to suit your budget and the amount of cover that you need.
- Can add up to 10 children to your policy, and babies can be added with no medical information needed (within 3 months of their birth).
- National Friendly will pay out for specific serious dental and optical procedures as part of your core cover.
In our latest review, our team of health insurance experts explains exactly how National Friendly My PMI policies work and all of the main pros and cons to be aware of. We’ve included real price examples, plus our top tips to help you save money on your cover this year.
Can I get health insurance from National Friendly?
National Friendly describe their MY PMI product as a ‘simpler, friendlier way’ to get the health cover that is right for you. They offer 4 levels of cover, which allows you to choose the policy that best suits how much cover you need and your ideal budget.
To buy a National Friendly My PMI policy, you must:
- Be a permanent resident in the UK (not including the Channel Islands and Isle of Man) registered with a UK GP for at least 6 months.
- Be between the ages of 18 and 85 years old.
- Agree to pay all policy premiums on time.
- Inform National Friendly of any changes to your personal details e.g. change of name or address.
National Friendly provides comprehensive health cover plus a range of additional benefits like National Friendly’s Friendly GP service. This service gives you and your family fast access to online GP appointments from the comfort of your own home.
Is National Friendly a good company?
National Friendly’s Level 4 My PMI policy has been rated 4 stars by Defaqto, suggesting that the policy is high quality with a decent range of customer benefits. All National Friendly policies have been rated at least 2 stars by the Defaqto industry experts.
National Friendly generally receives positive feedback on independent review sites like Trustpilot. They currently have a Trustpilot rating of 3.6 out of 5.0 stars, and 92% of reviewers rated National Friendly 5.0 out of 5.0 stars.
National Friendly released this video last year to highlight the main benefits of their My PMI policies.
Pros and Cons of National Friendly health insurance
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Comprehensive health cover at a wide range of UK hospitals with minimal policy exclusions. | No option for unlimited outpatient cover (available with certain health insurance companies). |
| Flexible cover options with 4 levels of cover to choose from. | Not all treatments and therapies are covered depending on the plan that you choose. |
| Any claims that you make won’t affect your premiums for the first 5 years of your policy. | MRI, CT, and PET scans come out of your outpatient limit when you claim. |
How does National Friendly health insurance work?
National Friendly health insurance supports you with the cost of private medical care within the UK. This includes things like specialist consultations, surgeries, and follow-up care. You can pay monthly or annually, depending on what works best for you.
National Friendly gives its members the choice of two hospital lists when they apply:
- National Friendly Standard hospitals list: This is the lowest cost option, which gives you access to top-quality care but excludes a list of hospitals where the cost is higher than elsewhere in the country.
- National Friendly extended hospital list: This list allows you to get treatment at any National Friendly-approved hospital in the UK, giving you more choice in the specialists you use (mostly London-based).
A third option for cover is National Friendly’s ‘guided’ option. With this option, National Friendly will help you to choose the right consultant when you make a claim.
One key difference between National Friendly and other health insurance companies is that your policy will cover you for 5 years. Most health insurance policies have a policy term of 1 year before you would need to renew your cover. You only need to renew National Friendly policies every 5 years, but your policy premiums can change each year.
National Friendly provides 4 ‘levels’ of health insurance, and each ‘level’ of cover focuses on different health concerns. Our health insurance experts have highlighted what each level of cover does in the table below.
| Cover level | What you are covered for |
|---|---|
| Level 1 cover – Focuses on quick diagnosis | Choice of hospital lists Outpatient cover Choice of excess Access to private GPs and consultants Scans, tests and therapies Specified minor operations |
| Level 2 cover – Focuses on expensive treatments compared to level 1 e.g. cancer treatments and operations | Choice of hospital lists Outpatient cover Day patient cover In patient cover Choice of excess |
| Level 3 cover – Similar to level 1 but with a higher level of cover | Same cover as level 1 for outpatients and diagnosis (limit £2,000 or £5,000 per year) Up to £1 million cover per year for day patient and inpatient cover for operations and cancer treatments |
| Level 4 cover – The highest level of cover available | Same cover as level 3 but with no limits for day patient or inpatient treatments Provides additional benefits e.g. bone marrow treatments |
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What does National Friendly health insurance cover?
National Friendly health insurance covers you for a wide range of situations, including:
- Private GP consultations (one face-to-face consultation per year up to £100).
- Diagnostic consultations with a specialist (outpatient cover).
- Diagnostic tests to find the cause of symptoms (specified in your policy documents).
- Other therapies e.g. physiotherapy.
- Podiatry/chiropody.
- Initial psychiatric assessment followed by up to 10 face-to-face counselling or psychotherapy sessions.
- Specified minor surgeries (following referral from your GP).
- Women’s health benefit (pays for menopause-associated consultations up to £300 per consultation) – 3 consultations every 5 years.
- Men’s health benefit (pays for prostate-specific antigen tests and associated tests up to £300 per consultation) – 3 consultations every 5 years.
- Second medical opinions (authorised in advance and where appropriate).
- Medical appliances and prosthesis.
- Inpatient and day-patient costs (private hospitals).
- Follow-ups and monitoring.
- Specified dental procedures.
- NHS overnight stay benefit (levels 2-4) and fixed cash allowances.
- Private ambulance (when medically necessary).
- Specified pregnancy and childbirth complications, heart treatments and reconstructive surgeries.
- Extensive cancer cover.
- Palliative care (Level 4 members only).
What doesn’t National Friendly health insurance cover?
Like most health insurance companies, there are certain things that National Friendly will not pay out for. National Friendly health insurance policies will not cover you for a range of conditions and situations, like:
- Emergency medical treatment.
- Treatment of substance abuse and addiction.
- Age-related medical conditions.
- Pre-existing medical conditions, congenital conditions or chronic medical conditions.
- Allergies.
- Corrective medical treatment.
- Complementary medicines.
- Treatment of developmental conditions.
- Dialysis.
- Elective or experimental treatments.
- Fertility treatments.
- Outpatient medication and treatments.
- Inpatient or day-patient mental health treatment.
- Gender dysphoria or reassignment.
- Overseas medical treatment.
- Vaccinations and other preventative treatments.
- Self-inflicted injuries.
- Injuries as a result of criminal activity or specified sporting activities.
- Sleep disorder treatments.
- Weight loss treatments.
Can I get National Friendly health insurance with pre-existing conditions?
Having pre-existing conditions shouldn’t stop you from buying health insurance from National Friendly. You won’t be covered for these conditions but will be able to claim for other unrelated medical issues that occur after buy your policy.
Pre-existing medical conditions aren’t covered by most health insurance providers, so this isn’t unusual for these policies. National Friendly will class any condition you have received treatment for or had symptoms of in the last 5 years as ‘pre-existing’.
How much does National Friendly health insurance cost?
The price of National Friendly health insurance will vary based on things like your age and where you live (postcode). The level of cover that you choose will also affect the price, with Level 1 being the cheapest option and Level 4 being the most expensive.
Prices for Level 1 cover start at less than £35 per month for individual health insurance, which is lower than the average cost of UK health insurance (£41.58 per month).
All quotes have been based on the same example customer with a North West England postcode. The only difference in details is the age of the customer, which we have changed to highlight how your age can impact the price of your cover.
Price Comparison – National Friendly My PMI (Level 1)
| Age of applicant | Monthly premium (£s) |
|---|---|
| Age 20 | £34.83 per month |
| Age 30 | £35.32 per month |
| Age 40 | £40.23 per month |
| Age 50 | £47.50 per month |
| Age 60 | £57.88 per month |
Price Comparison – National Friendly My PMI (Level 2)
| Age of applicant | Monthly premium (£s) |
|---|---|
| Age 20 | £43.36 per month |
| Age 30 | £47.57 per month |
| Age 40 | £57.66 per month |
| Age 50 | £71.24 per month |
| Age 60 | £99.78 per month |
Price Comparison – National Friendly My PMI (Level 3)
| Age of applicant | Monthly premium (£s) |
|---|---|
| Age 20 | £72.79 per month |
| Age 30 | £88.89 per month |
| Age 40 | £97.17 per month |
| Age 50 | £108.50 per month |
| Age 60 | £154.63 per month |
Price Comparison – National Friendly My PMI (Level 4)
| Age of applicant | Monthly premium (£s) |
|---|---|
| Age 20 | £90.77 per month |
| Age 30 | £115.39 per month |
| Age 40 | £126.24 per month |
| Age 50 | £138.55 per month |
| Age 60 | £169.98 per month |
Note: The prices above are intended as examples only, and the actual cost of your policy will vary based on your own situation.
How do I get cheaper health insurance from National Friendly?
A good thing about National Friendly’s My PMI policies is that you can cut costs by simply opting for a lower level of cover. Level 1 cover will be your cheapest option, and this still gives you access to an extensive list of hospitals and specialists along with extra member benefits.
Here are some other easy ways to lower the cost of your heath insurance:
- Choose a higher amount of excess to pay when you claim.
- Choose a guided option (National Friendly suggests specialists when you claim instead of giving you access to a full hospital list).
- Shop around for the best quotes (another insurer might be able to offer lower prices based on your situation).
How can I contact National Friendly?
If you need to talk to National Friendly about your policy, you can get in touch using the contact details below. You may be able to find answers to any frequently asked questions on the National Friendly website.
National Friendly Health Insurance contact details
Telephone – 0333 014 6244
Email – info@nationalfriendly.co.uk
Opening hours – 8.00am – 6.00pm Monday to Friday (excludes Bank Holidays)
Post:
National Friendly,
11-12 Queen Square,
Bristol,
BS1 4NT
Note: You can also contact National Friendly to request a call back at a time that suits you.
How do I claim on National Friendly health insurance?
These are the steps you will need to take when claiming with National Friendly:
- Visit your usual GP about your symptoms and get a referral if you need further testing or to see a specialist.
- Contact the National Friendly claims team directly.
- You will either be recommended a specialist (guided option) or you can choose from a list of National Friendly-approved specialists for your treatment.
- National Friendly will cover the costs of your treatment as agreed in your policy documents.
For any musculoskeletal or mental health claims, National Friendly will have a specialist call you back. Your specialist will ask questions about your symptoms to figure out your best treatment options (you don’t need to see a GP first for these claims).
Note: In some cases, National Friendly may need a copy of your GP referral or to contact your GP themselves before approving your claim.
National Friendly claims contact details
Telephone – 0333 014 6244
Email – nfclaims@allhealth.co.uk
Opening hours – 8.00am – 6.00pm Monday to Friday (excludes Bank Holidays)
Post:
National Friendly Claims Team,
Alliance Health Group,
54 Hagley Road,
Birmingham,
B16 8PE
Can I cancel my health insurance with National Friendly?
You can cancel your National Friendly policy at any point during your plan by contacting National Friendly directly. You can use their main contact details (see above) or you can submit an online enquiry on their website.
If you cancel within the 30 day ‘cooling off period’, you will receive a full refund of any premiums that you have already paid. If you cancel after 30 days, you won’t be refunded if you pay monthly. If you pay annually, National Friendly will refund you for any months that you will no longer be covered for.
Can I complain about National Friendly?
National Friendly are open to feedback from their customers and have procedures in place for any complaints that you may have. You are always entitled to submit a complaint if you aren’t happy with the product or service you have received from National Friendly.
National Friendly aims to resolve all complaints within 8 weeks of receiving them. You can submit your complaint online using the enquiry form on the National Friendly website or by email.
National Friendly complaints contact details
Email – complaints@nationalfriendly.co.uk
Website – National Friendly – Contact Us
Making a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) is an impartial and free service for financial services customers in the UK. This service can be used to settle any disputes between life insurance companies and their customers in the United Kingdom. If they feel that you have suffered any financial loss as a result of your life insurance policy, then they may rule for compensation to be awarded.
Telephone – 0800 023 4567 (or 0300 123 9123)
Telephone (outside the UK) – 0207 964 0500
What other policies can I get from National Friendly?
In 2024, National Friendly introduced a new insurance product called ‘Friendly Shield’, which offers income protection and personal accident cover. This streamlined policy provides financial security for you and your family in case of income loss due to accidents or injuries. Friendly Shield starts at just £10 per month and requires no medical questions when you apply. You can choose from Bronze, Silver, or Gold cover, depending on how much you want to spend. Each policy will pay out hundreds for common injuries like fractures to support you if you can’t work while you recover.
Another popular policy for National Friendly is their Over 50s life insurance, which has been designed to suit people aged 50 and older. Like Friendly Shield, you won’t need to answer any medical questions when you apply, which can make this policy appealing for anyone who has struggled to get life insurance due to their health.
Frequently asked questions: Is National Friendly health insurance any good?
What makes National Friendly different from big brand insurers like Bupa or AXA?
National Friendly is a mutual society, which means it is owned by its members rather than external shareholders. In practice, its health insurance is built as a modular plan where you select your hospital list, outpatient limit and excess, instead of being pushed into a single, packaged product. This structure tends to appeal to value conscious buyers who would rather fine tune core medical cover than pay for a long list of lifestyle rewards or unlimited extras. However, because it is a smaller insurer, its hospital and consultant network can be more focused, so you need to pay particular attention to which hospitals are actually included before you buy.
Who is most likely to benefit from National Friendly health insurance?
National Friendly usually suits people who want clear, good value access to private diagnostics and surgery at recognised hospitals without paying for extras they are unlikely to use. Typical examples include first time buyers who want straightforward cover, self employed workers who need quick treatment to minimise time off work, and over 50s or over 60s who want to protect themselves against major procedures but are happy to keep outpatient limits modest to control premiums. If you are mainly interested in getting seen and treated quickly and you like having control over your outpatient limit and excess, it is likely to be in your short list.
When might I be better off with another health insurer instead?
You may want to look at alternatives if you expect to make heavy use of outpatient benefits, if you insist on wide ranging central London access including premium HCA hospitals, or if you rely on very specific high cost medicines. In those situations, richer outpatient options and broader hospital lists from larger insurers could be a better fit, even at a higher monthly cost. It is sensible to compare National Friendly against providers such as Bupa, AXA, Aviva, Vitality, WPA and The Exeter on a like for like basis, using the same hospital region, outpatient level and excess to see which combination of price and benefits works best for you.
How should I decide what outpatient limit to choose with National Friendly?
Your outpatient limit affects both what you can claim for and how much you pay, so it is worth thinking about your health history and expectations. If you rarely see a consultant and mainly want cover for operations, a lower limit or even a surgery only plan could be acceptable, especially if you are comfortable using the NHS or self funding for minor tests. If you have ongoing conditions that require regular consultations or diagnostics, a mid range or higher outpatient limit will usually be more realistic, even if it costs more. You should also check whether advanced scans such as MRI or CT sit within your outpatient pot or are covered under a separate scan benefit, as this can make a big difference if you ever need several scans in one policy year.
What is the best way to compare National Friendly quotes with other UK health insurance deals?
A practical approach is to request side by side quotes that use the same assumptions across all insurers, so you can see genuine differences rather than quirks of each default setting. For example, ask every insurer to quote for the same hospital region, the same outpatient limit and the same policy excess, then look at how each one handles cancer cover, mental health benefits, scan limits and pre existing conditions. Check carefully whether your preferred hospitals appear on each list and make sure you understand how moratorium or continued personal medical exclusions underwriting will affect any existing conditions. Independent comparison tools and regulated health insurance brokers can help you pull these details together and explain how National Friendly stacks up in your particular situation.
How do I find the best National Friendly health insurance quotes?
You can apply for a National Friendly My PMI policy online or with help from an experienced health insurance specialist. Speaking to an expert helps to ensure that you choose the right health insurance plan and provider for you and your family.
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